KHL Season 2017/18

[hansomreiste]

Well, the previous one is already history. Sooner than later, we would need this one. To a high-quality, good and competitive season to end with Avangard hoisting the Gagarin Cup. One can dream.

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[Milos Krasic]

Omsk might see the Gagarin Cup if Alexander Popov brings it here.

 

[hockey2015]

When will the match schedule be?

 

[Go Donbass]

Now that I live in Ukraine I am thinking of traveling to Minsk or Riga for a game. Can anyone tell me what ticket prices are for those teams?

 

[Rigafan]

Now that I live in Ukraine I am thinking of traveling to Minsk or Riga for a game. Can anyone tell me what ticket prices are for those teams?

In Riga you'd pay around €15-20 for a decent seat at any game. All seats have a good view though so it doesn't matter where you sit

 

[Go Donbass]

In Riga you'd pay around €15-20 for a decent seat at any game. All seats have a good view though so it doesn't matter where you sit

Thanks

 

[hansomreiste]

Now that I live in Ukraine I am thinking of traveling to Minsk or Riga for a game. Can anyone tell me what ticket prices are for those teams?

Glad you sorted things out, hope everything is fine there. I feel like I'm jealous but then I realize I escaped from Ukraine so not sure how to feel about living there - only can hope you are managing it better than me.

This winter I bought two tickets for Minsk and paid 60 Turkish liras in total. It was cheaper than 10EUR per game, must be 8EUR or so. My tickets were for the games against Avtomobilist and Yugra. Not exactly sure about category but it was pretty close to the ice and in a good spot. Though I was unable to see the games since I needed to head back to Ukraine for some a couple of stupid reasons pretty much right after getting off in Minsk so no idea about viewing experience. Flying to Minsk from Turkey is absurdly expensive, so I guess I will buy my next tickets once I'm in Ukraine - from there by train, it's cheaper and way more pleasant. You can buy a hockey ticket for 10EUR, you can buy a plane ticket for 200EUR (or you can't, in my case) but an angry babushka beating a young, loud and heavily intoxicated Belarussian guy with a newspaper in the middle of a night is not an experience money can buy.

 

[hansomreiste]

According to KHL Facebook page in English, the new season starts on August 21 on Monday. Not counting today, 60 days left.

 

[Go Donbass]

The schedule hasn't been released yet, but the regular season will be reduced to 56 games from last year's 60.

 

[vorky]

The schedule hasn't been released yet, but the regular season will be reduced to 56 games from last year's 60.

The schedule is done. Now the clubs have to approve it and the league will release it on July 12.

 

[malkinfan]

Upcoming season already looking much less exciting than last year from my perspective:

-The SKA trio is completely broken, who going to play with Gusev? Maybe even Kovalchuk gone too.
-Kaprizov/Omark combination is broken in SU
-One of favourite teams to watch -Sibir loses 3 of their best guys to team where they might not play significant minutes.
-MMG with huge holes on their PP (3 of their best D gone), Mozy and Zaripov not getting younger and club has not reinforced with any interesting replacements yet.
-No Kuznetsk to watch, usually they have several young players who are interesting to follow.
-Very few top prospects going to play/break into the KHL this year. Of course there is Kravtsov, but thats likely it. Kostin gone, even guys like Zaseda who had a good chance of a regular shift in the K or gone.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I don't know, other than SKA being SKA it's interesting to watch teams looking new and fresh. The only downside of that is the overall level is dropping obviously but other than that, really excited to see the new Avangard or Torpedo for example.

 

[hansomreiste]

Upcoming season already looking much less exciting than last year from my perspective:

-The SKA trio is completely broken, who going to play with Gusev? Maybe even Kovalchuk gone too.
-Kaprizov/Omark combination is broken in SU
-One of favourite teams to watch -Sibir loses 3 of their best guys to team where they might not play significant minutes.
-MMG with huge holes on their PP (3 of their best D gone), Mozy and Zaripov not getting younger and club has not reinforced with any interesting replacements yet.
-No Kuznetsk to watch, usually they have several young players who are interesting to follow.
-Very few top prospects going to play/break into the KHL this year. Of course there is Kravtsov, but thats likely it. Kostin gone, even guys like Zaseda who had a good chance of a regular shift in the K or gone.

I get your point overall but with SKA weakening, this time maybe we can at least get a decently competitive final series. Any news about the implementation of hard cap? When will it happen? Well, in Russia, I don't think it will work in any way, but anyways, even the thought of it is a good sign. I mean, it is not difficult to sign a 1M USD contract with a player and then pay him the rest in envelope. This way you never exceed the cap.

 

[Go Donbass]

I don't know, other than SKA being SKA it's interesting to watch teams looking new and fresh. The only downside of that is the overall level is dropping obviously but other than that, really excited to see the new Avangard or Torpedo for example.

I agree. The great thing about sports, is that each season is completely new and different (except in the NFL where the Patriots just win every year). Looking forward to seeing how Sibir perform with new players and a new coach. The eastern conference actually looks really interesting this year, as the Magnitka reign of dominance will probably come to an end. Can't wait till August

 

[SoundAndFury]

So Dynamo is officially folding, all the players becoming UFAs. Hopefully other teams can take advantage of that.

This situation makes the whole "lets kick out Kuznya because reasons" and all the talks about Dynamo that followed look so ridiculous.

 

[malkinfan]

So Dynamo is officially folding, all the players becoming UFAs. Hopefully other teams can take advantage of that.

This situation makes the whole "lets kick out Kuznya because reasons" and all the talks about Dynamo that followed look so ridiculous.

Shame they got the new arena coming this year too. Is this a temporary fold or is there talk of "merging" another club, say from Podolsk with DYM?

 

[vorky]

Nobody is folding. Majority of former Dynamo players will re-sign with Dynamo. It is only technical thing to grant them UFA status.

 

[Acallabeth]

Nobody is folding. Majority of former Dynamo players will re-sign with Dynamo. It is only technical thing to grant them UFA status.

Why would any players that are worth anything risk his millions again? Sure, it's officially a different team, but I'm not sure they would be comfortable with that.

 

[aemoreira1981]

So Dynamo is officially folding, all the players becoming UFAs. Hopefully other teams can take advantage of that.

This situation makes the whole "lets kick out Kuznya because reasons" and all the talks about Dynamo that followed look so ridiculous.

The one-way contracts have been released. Two-way deals will likely be in the minors next season. Given that another 3 teams will be subtracted from the KHL after the upcoming season, I would be surprised if Dynamo returns.

 

[GindyDraws]

Nobody is folding. Majority of former Dynamo players will re-sign with Dynamo. It is only technical thing to grant them UFA status.

Still, that's bush league tactics.

But, it's a key team in the capital oblast, so I expect another Putin bailout for some reason.

 

[Finnpin]

New playoff schedule only favors the big teams with large roster

Dynamo's new owners saying they arent going to pay the missing salaries

Everything is possible in Russia!

 

[GindyDraws]

New playoff schedule only favors the big teams with large roster

Dynamo's new owners saying they arent going to pay the missing salaries

Everything is possible in Russia!

This league will likely die a painful death.

 

[hansomreiste]

New playoff schedule only favors the big teams with large roster

Dynamo's new owners saying they arent going to pay the missing salaries

Everything is possible in Russia!

Is it already out? What do you mean with new playoff schedule? And in fact, playoffs in hockey always favour big teams with large rosters, honestly. If you're to build a winning team, you need to have depth and have something more than just that "good" team. It's no top secret.

 

[Caser]

This league will likely die a painful death.

I think the first time I heard something like that was back in 2009. So yeah, I actually wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I mean saying the league will die is exaggeration but its state is getting sad. It would be nice to say that change creates new opportunities for smaller teams but in that case SKA would have to move to another league.